The present invention relates to devices for dispensing liquid, and in particular, devices for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid from a container.
Products such as liquid detergents, soaps, bleaches, and fabric softeners are currently being sold in containers which require the user to determine the amount of liquid needed for a specific end use of the product. Some of these containers have caps which may also serve as measuring cups to assist the user in pouring out a desired quantity of the product. Hopefully, the user keeps the measuring cup close at hand after the product has been opened, such as when detergents are used in laundry rooms.
Instructions on the containers provide the user with helpful information in determining the correct, or optimum amount of liquid bleach, for example, to use for the intended size of the laundry load, types of clothes being cleaned, and particular fabrics. Other liquids, such as mouthwash and medicinal liquids, are also preferably dispensed with precision and accuracy.
It has been learned, however, in a survey of users of such liquids, that most people merely pour out an estimated amount of the liquid based primarily on their own judgment and experience, or lack thereof. Very few users bother to take the time to measure the precise quantity, either with or without the measuring cap, because doing so requires extra time and two hands. As a result, the quantity of product varies greatly from individual to individual, even though a precise dose is required. This happens in spite of the known fact that using too much or too little of the product will affect the success of the job, whether it is cleaning, freshening breath, dispensing cough syrup, or whatever. Obviously, too much product is wasteful and expensive, and in the case of medicines, may be dangerous.
It is generally recognized by bottle and cap manufacturers that a container dispensing system which is capable of providing an accurate measure quantity of product is highly desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,527 to the present inventor discloses a liquid dispensing system for dispensing a predetermined quantity of liquid. The system includes a container 10 with a restricted throat 29. The container 10 has disposed therein a valve spool 17 for controlling the quantity of liquid which flows from the container. The valve spool 17 includes an elongated stem 19, a valve means 25, a piston 21, and a spider guide 23. The piston 21 includes a vent 27 which allows air to flow back into the container 10 to assist in the dispensing process. The valve spool 17 fits into the restricted throat 29 of the container 10, as shown in FIG. 2 of the patent. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the patent, when the container 10 is inverted, liquid inside the container fills a top chamber 13 of the container until valve means 25 (of the valve spool 17) seals the top chamber from the remainder of the container (FIG. 7). Thus, liquid present in the container can be dispensed in predetermined amounts.
A problem associated with the above dispensing system is that it often times does not dispense liquid evenly due to inefficiencies of the venting system (e.g., vent 27 on the valve spool 17). For example, the liquid will sometimes be dispensed in xe2x80x9cclumpsxe2x80x9d or uneven amounts due to the irregular airflow through the vent 27 and into the container 10. Additionally, the vent 27 often causes inaccuracies between pours based on the orientation and speed of the pour, and also allows some fluid to pass out through the vent (thereby decreasing the accuracy of the amount of liquid poured).
Thus, there is currently a need for an improved venting system for liquid dispensing systems which dispenses predetermined quantities of liquid in precise amounts.
The present invention is a device for assisting in the dispensing of liquid comprising a shaft having a substantially hollow passage therein, a first cap disposed on a first end of the shaft, a second cap disposed on a second end of the shaft, said second cap having an opening therein which is substantially aligned with the hollow passage, and, a spider guide disposed between the second cap and the shaft, wherein the shaft has at least one hole therein disposed at a position closer to the first end of the shaft than the second end of the shaft.
The above and other advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.